The Battle of Malfoy Manor
by EdgarrrBones
Summary: The story continues from where we left Harry, Ron and Hermione at the beach at Bill Weasley s house. They have got rid of the locket but now there are other Horcruxes to find. Someone is going to help them. The last person you would think of.
1. Chapter 1

Thump! Thump! Thump! the little ugly elf came down the stairs, a tray filled with cakes and teacups which clung towards each other in his hands. He almost fell down the stairs as he saw nothing over the pile of cakes and spilt tea all over the tray, so when he finally made it to the table, the cakes were swimming in tea sucking it in like sponges. The elf was not unhappy though, he was so old and blind by now, failing to notice much anything, not even the huge rolls of dust on the floors. The chandelier was dusty, the walls were dusty, so were the paintings, the mantelpiece and chairs. The elf himself never sat on them, so there was nothing or no one to wipe them clean.

"Tea and cake for you madam?" the elf asked. No one answered.

"Yes, of course, fill my cup you stupid elf!"

The offensive squawk didn´t come from anywhere else, than the elf´s own mouth. He bowed so low that his ugly nose wiped some dust off the floor. Then he poured some tea into the cup which had been full to the brim before most of it had been spilt all over the tray.

"Can I offer you some cakes I baked this afternoon, my lady?" he asked in a humble voice.

"Go ahead, don´t just stand there and stare Kreacher!" he yelled in a shrieking voice.

"But of course," he then continued and ran around with the tray, putting all the soaked cakes orderly on plates, bowed again and left the room mumbling: "Always happy to serve the noble house of Black!"

The room was left empty. The wind was roaring outside, rain splattering on the windows. The only sound of this and the huge family clock ticking loudly in the living room. It was getting darker and darker. The elf was making up beds in the upper bedrooms, lighting fires that no one was going to feel happy about and mumbling to himself. Suddenly, the door in the first floor was crashed in with a loud bang. Kreacher yelled and wanted to hide into one of her old mistress´s cupboards but decided to go and see what was all that fuss about. In had come two men. One of them was tall, with shoulder-length blonde hair, holding a walking cane like a sceptre. In his steps walked a younger man, with short blonde hair. They looked much alike, only that the other one was glancing fearful looks around him, his chin trembling as if he was ready to start crying any moment.

"Kreacherrr!" yelled the older man.

"Master Malfoy," said Kreacher, running down the stairs and bowing so low that his back was going to crack.

Master Malfoy only hit him with this walking cane of his and said: "Stop being funny and tell me have you seen any green locket in this house?"

Kreacher squeaked and took a few steps back.

"Kreacher has not been through his mistress´s possessions. Madam Lestrange is having tea and can show you everything once she is finished of course," and he bowed quickly.

The man winced with his nose. "What are you talking about you imbecilic moron!" he barked.

"Father," said now the younger man. "I don´t think he is quite in his right mind. The house is empty. There is no one."

"I can see that myself, Draco," said his father. "We must search the house! We must find the locket or else we get housebound again! We don´t want that now, do we?"

"No, certainly," said Draco.

They were walking in and out of the rooms, yelling _accio locket!_ to summon it but nothing remotely green and silver revealed itself.

"Maybe someone has been here before us?" asked Draco fearfully.

"Don´t be silly," said Lucius. "Who could have been here? The last Black is dead and most from the order have been killed."

"I know, I just wondered. Well..."

"Well, what? Don´t talk back to me."

And Lucius marched off angrily, his son scurrying after him.

"Who has been here? Answer me!" he yelled at the house elf.

"No one besides Madame Lestrange, and that Nymphadora scum. Kreacher saw her but he was sure that noble Madam Les..."

"Stop with this nonsense!" yelled Lucius. His face was jerking with fear. That Nymphadora scum he had said. She had taken it. Where had she taken it to? Certainly, always! Potter boy must have been behind it. He thrust the walking cane against the floor with such force that both Kreacher and Draco startled.

"We are going to Borgin and Burkes!" he decided.

Draco frowned, obviously confused but followed Lucius all the same.

They arrived on Knockturn Alley just by the time, Borgin and Burkes was about to be closed. Lucius stormed in, his son after him more hesitatingly and significantly less bold. Fenrir Greyback was behind the counter.

"You cannot storm in here! Oh, it´s you!" he said looking his two guests.

"Evening," said Lucius gloomily. His countenance looked almost grey in the dim light.

"Listen, we are not what we used to be, Malfoy. You have fallen utterly disgracefully and not I nor any other death eaters will listen to any commands you may find yourself presenting," growled Fenrir.

"Not even at the request of the Dark Lord?" Lucius hissed. "You disappoint me."

"I may well disappoint you, but who is disappointed in you? The Dark Lord may have gotten you out of Azkaban, but he will no trust you with anything remotely important these days. We know it just as well as you do."

Lucius was angered by this treatment. One may guess it was the first time in his life, he received any like that one. He was especially angered by the fact, that his son was there to witness it.

"I know not what you have heard, but I cannot believe you have forgotten your last conversation with Draco," said Lucius.

Fenrir now looked at Draco like he hadn´t even noticed him entering with his father. He gritted his teeth.

"I do remember," he said more obligingly.

"We have not sunk as low as you guess, Draco has a mission to accomplish, don´t you Draco?" said Lucius.

The boy nodded. He didn´t look frightening at all and Lucius wished he would make more impact. He poked his son with his walking cane behind his back so that Fenrir could not see.

"We know you have information about other werewolves. You recruited them in the army, after all," said Draco, taking a step towards Fenrir.

"So?" Fenrir looked suspicious.

"We think you may know where Lupin is. You have to find him. He is one of the last from the Order who hasn´t been caught yet."

"I am not your house elf to catch people for you!" shouted Fenrir.

"I killed Dumbledore, have you forgotten?"

"Snape did," snapped Fenrir.

"I almost killed him..." mumbled Draco now losing a bit of his nerve.

Lucius felt the impact starting to wear off.

"Draco did let in the Death Eaters, you amongst them. Surely, you remember. He cornered Dumbledore! My son is worth more than you give him credit for and you will pay when the Dark Lord finds out!" he said in a cold voice.

Draco looked at his father with astonishment. No doubt there had passed a very long time, since the latter had spoken well of him. Fenrir frowned. It had been a clever move. Draco had the impression that he would do anything to receive more praise from his father.

"I´ll see what I can do. I haven´t seen anyone remotely Lupin-like in a while. He must be in hiding," said Fenrir.

"As are everyone these days who haven´t been caught yet. You make sure, you find him. Till the next full moon," said Lucius and left the shop with these words, hanging shrill in the air. Draco gave Fenrir one last nasty look and closed the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry, Ron and Hermione were gathered together in Bill´s living room. They sat on the floor, burning a tiny floating flame in the air and discussing their next moves.

"We cannot break into Gringotts now that the goblin is gone," said Ron.

"It was such a great plan though," said Hermione as if she had been sorrier for wasting a good plan than for the goblin having been beaten to a pulp by Bellatrix in the Malfoy Manor.

"Like all your plans," said Ron admiringly.

"Everyone is dying around us. It´s like we are some bad omen," said Harry.

"Voldemort is trying to kill you Harry, you ARE a bad omen," said Ron. Hermione thrust him a look.

"Thanks," said Harry and got up from the floor.

"Everyone is being hunted nowadays, Harry, it has got nothing to do with you. Quite the opposite. I think many believe you are our last hope. And you ARE Harry," said Hermione.

Harry did not answer. He was touched by the support but he needed to think. He could not watch anyone else die around him.

"Say you are sorry, Ron," whispered Hermione, but it was quite audible.

"Harry, the goblin would have been killed either way, it had nothing to do with..." started Ron.

"It was about the sword," Harry cut in the middle of Ron´s sentence. "We brought it and he looked guilty because he was with us. It was not because he was a... a..."

"Not wizard," helped Hermione.

"Precisely."

"Listen to me. The only way to make all these deaths count is to go on with our plan," said Hermione.

Harry sat down with them.

"But how?" he asked.

Before they could start settling out this problem, they heard a howl. They all startled.

"A wolf?" asked Hermione.

"Lupin!" Harry burst out.

"How could it be him?" asked Ron.

"Well, he has had tough times since Snape is not here to brew him potions now," said Hermione.

"He betrayed him!" shouted Harry.

"Be quiet!" said Ron. "Hermione, get this light ball out of here."

Hermione put out the light. They were left in complete darkness.

"I thought Bill can help him," wondered Harry.

"Well neither can go shopping for ingredients on Diagon Alley these days, can they?" said Ron.

It was true, both Remus Lupin, the werewolf, and Bill, Ron´s brother- a half-werewolf, could do much about their conditions these days. Their heads were wanted for being a member of The Order of Phoenix.

"Is it really full moon? I can´t believe we all forgot to check the calendar," said Hermione.

They stood shivering and hoping Lupin would run further from the house. Apparently he had tried to as he discovered he was about to change, but now, it may have been too late. The howling sounded nearer.

"I wish he would shut up or else he attracts other wolves and werewolves here," said Ron.

"Is Tonks downstairs?" asked Harry. Lupin´s wife Tonks had come to show off their new baby in Bill´s house.

"I don´t know," said Ron.

Suddenly the door was opened and all three pointed their wands to it. The incomer was Luna.

"Has anyone seen Tonks?" she asked in a dreamy voice, sort of like the time she had said she wondered if there was pudding for dessert.

"No, we thought she was with you in the living room," said Ron.

Suddenly they all heard a shriek. A woman´s shriek.

"Tonks!" they yelled looking at each other and stormed down the stairs. Harry was the quickest and ripping open the front door, he saw sparks of light casted towards poor Lupin, who had curled on the beach, Ollivander, Tonks, Bill and Fleur shouting repelling spells towards him. Finally, Lupin jogged to the woods and disappeared. Tonks looked utterly frustrated. Fleur put her hand on her shoulder, asking if she was alright. Tonks only shook her head sadly. They were all coming inside the house, but Harry could see someone at the edge of the woods, before he was pushed in the living room. His eyes were transfixed.

"Harry, what happened to you?" asked Hermione. "Is your scar hurting again?"

Harry frowned. He was getting tired of everything wrong with him being always associated with his scar.

"I think he was stunned by the Flying..., " started Luna but before she could go on with her epistle about most rare and almost always invisible magical creatures only she knew about, Harry said: "I thought I saw someone."

"Who?" asked Ron.

"Greyback," he said.

"No, but it couldn´t be," said Ron. "We have never seen Greyback. How could you know what he looks like?"

"Oh, but we have seen him Ron," said Hermione.

And when Ron gave no sign of recalling it, she burst out: "Borgin and Burkes!"


	3. Chapter 3

Lupin looked much older the next day, as if this one night had had the impact of several years of hard labour on him. He refused to talk to anyone and only took a couple of bites from the bread Tonks offered him after minutes of persuasion.

Other than that, the morning was quite peaceful- Bill and Fleur making breakfast and Ron and Hermione playing wizard chess. Hermione looked annoyed. Wizard chess was one of the very few things Ron was better at than her and she tried to find excuses to quit the game before she would get an official check-mate. Harry was looking out of the window, trying to see if Greyback hadn´t brought any friends. He wanted to leave, most certainly they had been found out, but he couldn´t tell it to his friends, without Lupin overhearing it and feeling even guiltier for howling and trying to eat them.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, although Harry had seen no one on the beach, and the roof caught fire.

Hermione shoot up and started to put down the flames, but of no use.

"I don´t understand!" she said after crying _aquamenti_ out loud several times.

"Dark magic!" said Ollivander, his pupils enlarged. He had been tortured a few days earlier.

Everyone started to run out of the house.

"Stop! They want to smoke us out!" yelled Harry but no one heard him.

On the beach, a group of death eaters greeted them. First to laugh, pointing her wand at them was Bellatrix. "Quite a show Lupin," she said. "I think even the muggles fifty feet away heard you."

She had brought several unknown faces along, but couple of them Harry knew perfectly well- there was Peter Pettigrew and Draco. Draco was paler-looking than ever and his hands trembled terrifyingly.

Harry made a move towards Pettigrew, whom he had wanted to murder since he had seen him in human form. He still looked remarkably rat-like. Ron´s hand held him back. They had all raised their wands but no one dared to start the fight that could only end in a few more dead bodies.

"We know you took the locket, give it back now, what doesn´t belong to you," said Bellatrix.

"I don´t have it," said Harry simply and it was true. They had destroyed it and the piece of Voldemort´s soul living in it with the Sword of Gryffindor.

"Mind if I check?" said Bellatrix and stood threateningly close to Harry.

Harry raised his wand so quickly towards her he almost poked her in the nose with it.

"Alright, easy now," she said.

"Why you care, it doesn´t belong to you either," said Ron nastily.

"You thieves! I say what belongs to me! The sword! What have you done with it?" she shrieked.

"No," Harry said.

"What?" she was confused.

"They too don´t belong to you. And I know you only want it for your master, so I rather die than have Voldemort have them."

"Don´t you dare take his name on your filthy lips!" she shrieked and forgot all about precaution. She tried to curse Harry but another wand had thrown a spell at her. Bellatrix flung down like plywood and behind her stood Draco, lowering his wand. Harry could not stare enough in surprise and in total confusion as to what had just happen tens of curses were now flying around them. The death eaters had expected to come and find only Harry, Hermione and Ron but were easily outnumbered. Tonks and Remus got most of them and two managed to apparate. Now the only one left from the bunch of them was Draco, standing in front of them like some pet, who had lost his way back home. They all pointed their wands now at him but did not dare to do anything as the boy had taken them by a complete surprise.

Draco had lowered his wand.

"What do you want with the sword and the locket?" he asked looking Harry in the eye.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Harry and Draco.

"We destroyed it," said Harry honestly, wanting to see where it takes them.

"Why?" the boy kept asking.

"Are you interrogating us now, you little git?" said Ron poisonously.

Draco sent him a haughty look but restrained himself, whatever insults were on the tip of his tongue.

"The Dark-" he started, "I mean You-Know-Who," he quickly corrected himself trying to win their favours, "sent Snape to fetch something from the castle last night. He was very angry. I understood he wanted to get it back from Hogwarts as soon as possible." He put one hand in his jacket.

"Watch there," threatened Tonks.

But Draco took out something shiny and silver. Harry´s eyes widened.

"Where did you...?" he asked.

"It´s the Ravenclaw´s diadem, isn´t it?" said Draco.

Harry stood in front of him, hand raised and Draco put the silver jewellery in his hand. Harry was astonished, just as much as he was in shock.

"But... is he not going to find out?" asked Harry.

"Unlike you Potter, I am quite good at occlumency," said Draco in a smirk voice. Harry didn´t care about his tone. Draco had put himself in a terrible risk by betraying Voldemort.

"He won´t know who took it," said Draco. "For some time though," he added.

"Harry," said Hermione beaming. "We only have the cup and the snake left now!"

"Yeah," said Harry smiling stupidly. It was still hard to believe what had just happened and he could only reassure himself, staring down at the stunned Bellatrix and the diadem in his hands.

"But how did he know, Harry, we haven´t told anyone," said Hermione. "Dumbledore didn´t tell anyone."

"What if he did?" asked Harry. He was ready to be disappointed in his hero once again. After all, he always acted in the name of greater good. Who knows how sinister his plans might have really been?

"Right, how did you know we needed the crown?" asked Harry suspiciously, turning to Draco now.

"Yes, even Bellatrix didn´t know what the sword was really about," added Ron.

"Well," answered Draco. "I knew about the cup and the sword in Bellatrix´s vault. She was terrified when she thought you have been there. She was supposed to hide them for The Dark- You-Know-Who."

They all nodded.

"He sent professor Snape to fetch something for him as soon as he found out what had happened. Something in the castle. He came back with the diadem. At this point, I realised these objects somehow were of vital importance."

"But how did You-Know-Who find out we went to Gringotts?" asked Hermione. "It is terrifying how he always seems to find out things." Then she turned to Harry: "No!"

"What?" asked the boy.

"You let him inside your head again! Harry, you can´t do that!" she yelled.

"I told him," said Draco.

All three ogled the boy like he had been the rarest magical beast. He was so pale he looked a bit similar to a unicorn anyway.

"You betrayed your aunt?" asked Harry, hardly believing a word. What if the Death Eaters had stepped up their game a bit and sent Draco as a spy on them? What if Bellatrix will stand up any minute and the whole thing turns out to be a hoax?

"You are such a big supporter of him, you even give up your family members?" asked Ron.

"No," said Harry. "He didn´t tell them it was me, did he? In the Malfoy Manor."

Draco nodded so little it was hardly visible.

"How much do you know already then?" asked Hermione.

"Not much, I reckon there is some dark magic about these objects," he said hesitatingly.

"Horcruxes," said Hermione.

Harry and Ron cast her warning look.

"If he doesn´t know, he doesn´t know," explained Hermione.

But Draco´s eyes were wider than ever.

"No?" he said disbelievingly.

"You know what they are?" asked Harry. It was the second time now that Draco had shocked him.

"Of course I know what they are, I come from the Black family," he said. That made sense.

"How many are there?" he asked now.

"Seven we think," said Harry.

"And you plan to destroy them?" asked Draco.

"We have destroyed them. There is just the cup and the snake." explained Harry.

"Don´t tell him everything," said Ron reproachfully.

"He can help us to get to the snake," said Harry.

"You don´t know where the cup is do you?" Draco asked.

"What?"

"It´s in our house," said Draco.

When no one answered, he continued: "After the break-in, Voldemort did not think the vaults of his death eaters were secure anymore and made death eaters protect it in our house."

"Think you couldn´t fetch it for us when you brought the diadem?" asked Ron.

"Weasley," hissed Draco. "Don´t you think it´s a bit too big to slither inside a pocket?"

"So he´s on our side now?" asked Ron with a taste of displeasure.

They gathered around all three of them, whispering heatedly. Draco stood further, observing them as if waiting for the decision about his execution.

"He is the owner of the elder wand," said Harry, reminding them. "He disarmed Dumbledore! Let´s go with him, let him show us where the horcrux is and at the right moment, I´ll disarm him. Right?"

It seemed like a reasonable plan.

"Anyway, we must apparate before any more death eaters come joining us," suggested Hermione. Draco looked taken aback a bit.

"Now, you come with us," said Harry.

They had never apparated four at the time. Ron took Hermione´s hand, who grabbed Harry´s who now slid his hand into Draco´s.

"You know the way," said Harry.


	4. Chapter 4

Malfoy Manor looked like a gothic nightmare in the midst of nowhere: dark, gloomy and lonesome. One of the last of its kind. The pathway to the gate was paved with dry leaves.

Four people appeared on it with a snap. The great manor house stood like a huge raven looking over them. However, it wasn´t abandoned. It was full of some of the most devoted supporters of the evilest and greatest wizard of their time- Lord Voldemort, Draco´s parents among them.

"You´ve got us so far," said Harry. "That´s okay if you don´t want to, you know..."

Draco swallowed and looked utterly depressed.

"We can´t let him go anywhere, what if he turns us in?" said Ron.

"Don´t be stupid Weasley, you don´t even know how to get past the gate without me," said Draco. He forgot his fear in a split second of anger. He was always suspected, even if he did things that would shock them. Ron, however, did not trust this two-faced slimy git, as he called the boy. He had pointed his wand at him and Draco answered him with the same.

"Stop it!" said Hermione. "Ron put down your wand."

"Hermione!" yelled Ron, most disappointed in his friend.

"You are not going to attack me," said Draco, put down his wand instead, turned his back on them and started to walk ahead. They followed him, Ron, much less eagerly now. Harry started to wonder, how were they going to open the gate then? Draco just walked right through it, like it was nothing more than just a breath of fresh air. He then turned around, pressed his ring against the keyhole and told them to proceed. All three walked through the gate just the same.

"You just need a ring to get past?" asked Harry. He was a bit disappointed. He had expected something far more interesting.

"It´s either this or parseltongue," answered Draco.

"I can speak parseltongue," said Harry.

"You also need to be pureblood. Then you get to walk past and let in whoever you want to by pressing anything that is of family heritance to prove your identity," he explained further.

"Now what?" asked Ron. They were inside, but how would they do something so dangerous as to fight off a thousand death eaters, protecting Voldemort´s Horcrux?

"The cloak!" said Hermione. She took out the cloak of invisibility from her bag and thrust it around all three of them. They proceeded to the manor house, Draco leading the way. The one to welcome him at the door was no other than his father. Harry noticed the pale boy´s knees weakened, sure this is where he was not able to go further.

"Draco, you´ve come back," said the older man. "Where are the others?"

"Dead," Draco said.

"What do you mean? There were supposed to be only... You don´t want to tell me that three children could fight against..."

"No, there were more of them," said Draco.

Ron winced and Hermione had to poke him to stay still so as he would not reveal their legs under the cloak.

"He is telling him the truth," whispered Ron.

"Where is your aunt? Where is Bellatrix?" asked Lucius.

Draco looked away suddenly by instinct. Downright lying to someone as overweening as his father was proving a difficult task.

"She, erm... was stunned," he said.

Harry was amazed. Yeah, don´t tell him it was you who did it of course. It was totally giggle-worthy and it was a struggle to hold himself back.

Lucius went inside, Draco held the door open for a while, so that Harry, Ron and Hermione could sneak in.

"What are you doing?" asked Lucius. Little escaped his notice.

"I thought I saw something," said Draco. "It was just a crow."

They were inside the huge manor now. It was much bigger than Harry had ever imagined. He could tell now, why little spoiled and brain-washed Draco was so convinced of his superiority. It was a massive building, walls decorated with impressive tapestries, a huge staircase leading to upper floors. The Malfoys were undoubtedly one of the wealthiest witches and wizards these days.

Draco and his father went to the rectangular room with a huge dinner table and a chandelier. The boy gestured them to follow.

He was seated at the table next to his mother, who looked relieved to see her son alive and well.

"You came back," she repeated Lucius´s words unknowingly and smoothed his hair coil. Draco blushed a bit. It was undoubtedly embarrassing to let your former arch enemies witness your mummy pampering you this way. However, Harry felt a surge of envy. He never remembered his mother fondling him, looking at him as he was the most precious thing in the world. His mother was dead. It became even realer for Harry seeing this boy, whom he had hated so much, receive every family tenderness he had missed out on. Ron and Hermione could never fully understand. And it was so alien, so weird to see Draco looking at his mother much in the same way. His mother he was going to betray. Would he be able to do it? To back out on someone whom he had also smiled at in such a tender way. Harry could have never imagined Draco even knew how to smile like that. This smile vanished from his lips in a second though, and his pale face acquired an irretrievably sad look now.

"We have an announcement," said Lucius now.

The other death eaters, seated at a table, there were seven of them, looked at him.

"I am afraid Draco tells the attack was a failure," said Lucius.

"How much more failures must we endure because of you Lucius!" hissed one of them.

Lucius backed off. He seemed less haughty now. It was pathetic to look at him. The man had been right of course. Since the ministry attack failing, it was somewhat a wonder to see any of the Malfoys and Draco alive by now. Voldemort had been especially eager to make Lucius pay.

"There were apparently people supporting Potter, people we didn´t know would be there. We expected to find only Lupin, whom we knew might have contact with Potter and thus lead us to him," he tried to explain. "The good thing is we did find out Potter´s whereabouts."

"He is probably gone by now," snapped someone.

Lucius did not answer. He sat at the table, looking utterly beaten, grey and much older. And now, something happened, that they were sure Draco had not planned. He was coming. Harry could feel it before they could see him. His forehead was filled with pain, it hadn´t come slowly, gaining its strength before reaching the peak, it had come unwarned and so suddenly he almost cried out and revealed them. Voldemort must have apparated. Harry was clutching to Hermione´s sleeve who looked utterly horrified, holding him up. Harry´s knees fell on the floor and someone must have heard it.

"What was that?" asked one of them, jumping up from his chair.

But none of them could react to it anymore, because the door was ripped open by huge force and Lord Voldemort entered, Nagini slithering behind him. This was it. This was where they would die, or Harry would die from the pain. He hardly even cared anymore, he wanted it to end, even if he knew his friends would be killed with him, and Draco, probably tortured by _Cruciatus_ curse before murdered for betraying the death eaters, unless of course, he could manage to pull it off and say he had specially brought them here for the Dark Lord.

The silence was unbearable. All of the people at the table, staring Lord Voldemort, who slid his gaze upon them, coldly as if selecting whom to eat for dinner.

"I..." he started and everyone looked down as if the mere word would have scared them to death, "...hoped for better."

There was such a nasty coldness about him, it was hard to imagine someone more despising.

"Find them," he said and exited as slowly as his snake Nagini.

The death eaters suppressed a shiver and jumped up, storming around, eager to do something, although they didn´t have a clue what to do next. Some apparated probably wanting to make the impression that they were doing something. Now only the Malfoys and two other people were left behind.

"Draco," said Lucius. "Have you overheard anything that might give us a clue, what Potter´ s moves may be? In the castle, you must know what people say. What are the rumours? Who helps him?"

"Don´t press him," said Narcissa.

"Probably in hiding with some squibs and mudbloods like the coward he is I imagine," said Draco and Harry couldn´t help noticing he took some real pleasure in saying _squibs_ and _mudbloods_.

"Alright, Draco. I will go take Avery and go see if I can rescue aunt Bellatrix. You´ll be guarding the You-know-what with your father now," said his mother, patting his shoulder affectionately. Draco stepped away quickly. Ron let out a giggle, but luckily the repressed and anxious Malfoys didn´t hear him. Draco did though. He obviously knew what had been so funny, despite of all the horror of Voldemort´s unannounced visit.

"Oh, shut up," he hissed between his teeth.

Draco´s parents left the room, unknowingly leaving their son accompanied by the trio, who now removed the cloak of invisibility.

"That was terrifying," said Ron.

"Harry, are you alright?" asked Hermione. She was looking at Harry like he was a very sick and possibly dying person.

"I am fine," lied Harry. His head was still aching.

Draco looked utterly harassed and avoided eye contact with any of them.

"You-Know-Who is looking for us now. Will he find out where we are?" asked Ron, addressing them all.

"Not if Harry doesn´t let him inside his head," said Hermione, still looking at the boy suspiciously. Draco watched the door that had closed behind his mother and father and for a moment Harry thought he would run down and tell them he had lead Harry Potter into a trap. The moment of desperation Draco had undoubtedly experienced passed quickly. He collected himself and turned to the three of them.

"Now, listen to me. The cup is in this room. There are always two of us guarding it. My father and I will guard it during the next few hours. We must make a replica of it, then you take the one that is the Horcrux and we will win time before it will be found out, that the replica is not the real one."

"Barking mad," said Ron. "Let´s take it now and leave. Where is it?"

"No! The Dark Lord will kill me if I lose it!" yelled Draco. "He will kill all of us, should the cup be stolen under our noses. He must think the one we brought from Gringotts is the fake one, that it was changed in the vault."

"Right," said Harry. "And we can´t leave this place anyway, as Volde- stop it Malfoy,- You-Know-Who, frequently visits the place and will be back most probably today. We need to kill his snake who is always with him."

"Yes Harry, but..." started Hermione. The prospect of the end being so near was intimidating.

"Then it's just me and him," said Harry, patting Hermione on the shoulder.

"When my father returns, I´ll make it so, that he forgets what he was about to do, so we can use the time to copy the cup," said Draco.

"You will use one of the unforgivable curses on you father?" asked Hermione.

Draco ignored her question.

"Bloody hell!" said Ron but his tone was far more appreciative than usually when he spoke to Malfoy.

"You _obliviated_ your parents-" started Harry.

"Harry!" warned Hermione. She did not want Malfoy to know she had done anything as slightly sadistic as he too was capable of.

Loud steps were coming nearer to the room. They all gasped.

Harry threw the cloak on all three of them. The door was opened.


	5. Chapter 5

"Lucius went instead of me. I´ll be with you within the next hours, then you can go and have some rest. I'm sure everything will be alright," said Narcissa Malfoy.

Draco looked so startled, he looked almost ill. Clearly, the job of cursing his own mother was a much more difficult task than it would have been with his father involved instead.

"Draco, are you alright? You look so pale," said Narcissa. She too had noticed Draco turning rigid and stiff. "I´m sure Bella will be found. Don´t worry."

Harry wondered how his mother would describe his son´s complexion at other times when suddenly more voices were heard from behind the door and someone almost flew into the room like a huge overgrown bat.

"Snape!" whispered Harry, but Ron poked his ribs to make him shut up.

"Narcissa," said Snape, bowing his head slightly.

"Severus! Your arrival is most timely. I think Draco is ill. Can you take the shift instead of him?" said Narcissa.

"I´m fine, mother," argued Draco. When he had had the actual intention to put her mother under the _imperius_ curse, then the arrival of Snape had crushed all hopes of that happening.

Snape observed the boy, who was almost as tall as him, staring back at him, not being afraid of the eye contact. When Snape´s attempt of penetrating Draco´s mind failed, he shook his head.

"I think he would benefit from a little conversation with me," said Snape. "Nothing purifies the soul like a good confession."

Draco was about to say something, but he remembered that Snape had made the unbreakable vow, which was still in force. He also recognised that his mother didn´t know him knowing about it. Not wanting to embarrass her he had never let it slip through his lips. Narcissa, who was ever grateful for Snape for helping Draco, agreed, thinking that Draco had no other feelings towards Snape as pure admiration. She left the room not suspecting anything.

"Now, what have you been up to?" asked Snape.

"What makes you think I have been up to something?" asked Draco.

"What happened at the Weasley´s house was very suspicious. Have you anything to say about it?"

"How do you know, what happened?"

"I don´t. Which is why you are going to tell me."

"I won´t and you can´t make me."

"We´ll see about that."

"Are you going to pour veritaserum in me? I´d like to see you try," said Draco. Harry had rarely seen Draco talking to Snape in such a manner, except for the one time Draco suspected Snape trying to steal his glory after Slughorn´s Christmas party.

"Your dear mother may think you are her good little innocent boy, but I know better than that. Now, if you have any knowledge of Potter´s whereabouts, I advise you to tell me." Snape spoke in a calm, cold voice, a bit similar to how Voldemort addressed his inferiors and it made him look far more intimidating than even his secretive image or rumours about where his loyalties lied.

"I know nothing about it. They escaped."

Harry was breathing heavily, nervous of what the outcome of this dreadful interrogation will be. He even figured if he should attack Snape, right now, when he had the perfect chance being invisible himself. But something held him back. This curiosity and suspiciousness towards Draco seemed funny.

"You want to hand him over to The Dark Lord and collect all the recognition by yourself!" accused Draco.

"You speak like a child!" sneered Snape. Harry took some secret pleasure even now, seeing Snape putting Draco down.

"Don´t forget whose house it is you are standing in," said Draco.

"You and your father are alive at the mercy of The Dark lord and his mercy will grant you the occupying of this house. Now drop your tone, and show me your wand."

This request, or more of an order, was most surprising. Draco flipped out his wand, gripping it tightly as if Snape was about to grab it from him.

Snape looked at it and he seemed displeased.

"This is my wand, as it has always been. What is wrong?" asked Draco.

" _Expelliarmus_!" shouted Snape suddenly and Draco´s wand flew out his hands and Snape caught it.

"What are you doing?!" shouted Draco.

"Stand back!" yelled Snape. Harry was so shocked he had no idea, what was going on. What was Snape on about? Had he actually been loyal to Dumbledore all this time? But that can´t be! He killed him! He must be avenged! He was about to attack now defenceless Malfoy! Harry stormed out of the cloak, while Hermione and Ron struggled to hold him back and during this moment of struggle Snape had already apparated.

Draco had to sit down on a chair at the table, as the shock had made him weak.

They had no clue what had just happened. Harry thought the only possible explanation would be if Snape knew about the elder wand and disarmed Draco to get it for his master or not less likely to use it for his own benefit. Hermione though pointed at the floor. Snape had done something even more confusing. He had dropped his own wand. Draco picked it up now.

"He left it for me, because if he left me defenceless..."

"...he would die yes," said Harry.

Snape had taken a great risk already by disarming Draco. All the same, what would he not do in the name of Lord Voldemort?

"So now Voldemort is going to get the elder wand. This will be the end of us," said Ron.

"But would Snape really take such a risk? I mean does Voldemort even know how to get hold of the elder wand? He would probably kill Snape if he knew Snape is the master of the wand," said Hermione smartly. Harry had always felt highly disturbed on instances where Hermione tried to prove Snape might have reasonable ideas after all or that he was on their side, or anything else similarly stupid. Harry knew what the man was, he had seen him kill Dumbledore, much more calmly than Draco´s pathetic attempt had been.

"I think Snape would just tell him how to do it," said Ron.

"And you think he is going to trust anyone that much? There is no real way to find out if the wand is yours unless you are already battling with it. He would make sure, there was no mistake," argued Hermione.

"Hermione! He is Snape! He is a death eater!" said Harry.

Draco had been looking utterly confused all this time.

"What? What had the wand got to do with it?" he asked.

"You were the master of the elder wand. You disarmed Dumbledore that night he was murdered. Now the master of the elder wand is Snape," explained Hermione.

Draco´s mouth fell open and Harry could tell he was feeling very bitter of not knowing he could have been amongst the most powerful wizards of all time.

"But... it was my own wand. Oh..." he started to understand. "The Dark Lord, sorry, You-Know-Who has the elder wand. Of course! So it is true! It exists?"

"Yes, it exists," said Hermione. "But now that Snape lets Voldemort overpower him and become the true master of it, I am afraid..."

"...we are doomed, "finished Ron simply.

"We can still destroy that cup!" said Harry. He looked at it shining on the round table, presented as some innocent family patrimony. It was horrible to think, what it really held within.

Hermione stood forward and doubled the cup, replaced it and gave the cup to Harry to hold, while she looked for the sword in her bag.

"Like we did last time," she said, holding the sword out for Harry.

"It will put up a fight and will summon all of the death eaters here with the scream," said Harry. "We should take it somewhere else."

"There is no time. Harry, now when Voldemort´s got the elder wand, he will be in twice the hurry to try and find you. Do it now!"

Harry looked at the poor miserable Draco who would be executed most likely if any of the death eaters found out what was going on. He had helped them tremendously in the past hours alone and brought them closer to ending Voldemort than they could have done in weeks.

"You do it!" said Harry holding out the sword for Draco.

"What?" he asked.

"You should have the right to destroy a Horcrux as well. You´ve done so much for us. Besides, we don´t know if any of us will survive today anyway," said Harry.

"Don´t say that," said Hermione.

And suddenly Harry screamed out. They all stared at him in horror.

"What´s wrong with him?" asked Draco.

"He has these visions again," said Ron. "Say something!" he yelled at Harry who had fallen on the floor, holding his head between his hands and gasping.

"He is coming back! He has Death Eaters with him!"

"Does he know we are here?" asked Ron.

"No, I don´t think so. But Snape is with him!"

"We must go now or greet him. What shall we do?" asked Ron.

"There is only four of us and he has the elder wand," said Hermione. "We better go!"

"Three more likely," whispered Ron. "You don´t say you trust this git?"

"Oi!" said Draco. He had heard him.

"We must delay him! Do it now!" said Harry still offering the sword to Draco. Despite meeting Voldemort remarkably more often than any of them or precisely due to it, Draco had always been more afraid of Lord Voldemort than any of them.

"How... how do I do it?"

"Just hit the cup with the sword! It´ll be alright in a moment," said Harry.

"No, I can´t," he said.

"Think what he has done to your family. Think what he would do to you," Harry tried to persuade him.

"Oh, stop that," said Ron. "We don´t have time for this, give me the sword, I´ll do it."

But now Draco had changed his mind. He had never liked Ron or his scepticism towards him and wanting to prove himself he took the sword. Harry put down the cup and Draco stood in front of it, sword up in the air, his hands trembling.

"Are you sure this is the right one?" he asked.

"Yes, the duplicate is on the table," said Hermione.

Before Draco could lower the sword, they heard noises outside the house.

"They are here!" yelled Harry. He was not ready for it.

Draco hit the cup with the sword and it burst into green and emerald flames.

"Merlin! Get out of there!" said Ron, pulling Hermione further from the cup.

Hermione, however, raised his wand and in a minute she had summoned the sword and Draco´s (or Snape´s) wand, holding them in her hands.

When the death eaters entered the room, they saw Hermione, Ron and Harry pointing their wands at Draco who stood there, completely startled by what had happened. The green angry flames were dancing around the room and as the door opened, Hermione sent them towards it. The death eaters ran out of the room, fire stalking them and screamed for their life.

"That was remarkable," said Ron.

Hermione smiled weakly but said nothing. Harry grabbed the cup from the floor but it was too hot. Ron tried to turn it into a mouse, but as transfiguration had never been one of his strengths, the mouse ran away with silvery fur. Evidence destroyed.

The death eaters outside had regained their courage. The first shock passed and the door was flung open again. In came Snape. He looked at the scene with curiosity and surprise.

"Well well. Harry Potter," he said. "Come to die?"

"You wish," said Harry looking at the man´s dark eyes with hate.

"Lower your wand missy," said Snape now to Hermione.

She did not.

"Now!" Snape repeated.

"Kill them," said a cold voice behind Snape.

Lord Voldemort had come in.

Snape raised his wand hand pointing it towards Hermione who was now pointing her own wand towards him, other at Draco so she looked like a geisha, fighting with two swords. Harry just stared at them. Snape hesitated?

"And what good use have you been Draco?" asked Voldemort.

Draco gulped and it was sad to look at him. Wandless, completely at the mercy of others. Hermione could not throw back his wand now.

"Like father like son," said Voldemort disappointed.

Harry´s eyes followed the big snake next to him though. He looked up at the evil wizard and wondered if he had noticed.

"Severus," he said. "I said kill them!"

Snape´s lips were pressed into a thin line and it was impossible to guess what he was thinking. It was a risk to attack any of them now when Hermione could kill Draco and then he would die. Harry used the moment of hesitation and yelled: "Expelliarmus!" disarming Snape. He was surprised when it worked, as Snape could usually tell in a spare moment who and what curse was about to attack even when the attacker was behind him. In the confusion, Snape flung towards Draco and made him apparate with him. Harry was completely shocked by what had just happened. Snape had betrayed his master, so had Draco and he was the owner of the elder wand. Maybe Snape had planned it this way? He had almost as well as given his own wand away. Surely, if Harry could not kill Voldemort now, he would kill both of them. Voldemort looked completely speechless for a while. Neither of them attacked each other though. He walked around the room, then stood before the cup and cold fear flush all over Harry. Would he know what they had done? Did Voldemort feel his soul inside his horcruxes or was his soul so damaged already he could hardly feel anything?

He looked at the cup, touched it and let out a cold thrilling to the bones laugh. It was horrible. Voldemort didn´t know how to laugh like a human. A bunch of death eaters had come inside the big room, watching them stand there, probably disbelieving that either of the three could still be alive, facing the greatest dark wizard of all times.

"Nagini," hissed Voldemort. "Kill!"

Now that Snape was gone, it was Nagini´s job to finish off Ron and Hermione. The big grotesque snake slid towards them, mouth open and sharp fangs glistening, ready to attack. He was going for Ron first, who had tried to send nasty spells to it, which all backfired from the snake as if it had worn something similar to the bulletproof vest muggles wore to protect themselves. Hermione jumped in front of Ron, the snake diving for them and she pierced its ugly head with the sword of Gryffindor. Voldemort let out such a scream, it was sickening.

Bellatrix had run in, hoping to comfort and offer her services to her lord, but seeing the sword in Hermione´s hands she first ogled at it, eyes wide like huge lanterns, then tried to hide behind other death eaters. Right behind her, Narcissa Malfoy had come in.

"Where is Draco! Where is my son!" she yelled. No one answered. Harry felt overwhelming joy seeing that very few of Voldemort´s death eaters actually cared about him, Bellatrix being one of the few. Narcissa, not seeing Draco or his body in the room, stood nailed to the floor, not daring to leave but not wanting to be there either.

Voldemort´s anger had reached the point he looked slightly like a specially dangerous Catalonian Fireball. He pointed his wand towards Hermione, not only because she had killed his snake, but it seemed that she had disarmed Draco and was now the owner of the elder wand. Harry saw him opening his mouth and before he could yell _Avada Kedavra_! he himself yelled: "Expelliarmus!" and both wands fell from Hermione´s hand. She was completely taken aback and Ron too stared at Harry as if he had gone mad.

"NOO!" howled Voldemort. He was not stupid to not realise, that although he was the one holding the elder wand it would not work properly used against its true master. However, he felt secure enough to curse Harry as the cup was still on the table, untouched and thus he could not be killed. Surely he would be able to kill Harry. He didn´t feel any interest towards Ron and Hermione anymore.

" _Avada Kedavra_!" shouted Voldemort and Harry yelled: " _Sectumsempra_!"

Their spells crushed together, like thunder and everyone gasped at the site of it. The sound was so loud that almost nothing else could be heard above it, but Harry heard Narcissa yell: "Lucius! Come on!" and he saw a flicker of blonde hair disappear from the crowd of death eaters.

Harry struggled to hold his wand still as Voldemort was after all an amazing wizard. But even he could not make the elder wand kill its owner. Harry´s spell broke the wand in Voldemort´s hands and he suddenly let go of it as if it had burned him. He heard several frightened screams before he could see blood bursting out of Voldemort´s wounds he had inflicted. The man almost didn´t realise what was happening as he had believed to have seven lives like a cat and now... There was blood bursting out of him. Harry´s own blood he had taken from him in the fourth year. And then he was dead. For a flicker of a second, Harry thought if he himself had not died now, surely the death eaters will kill them anyway, but it looked like the loss of their master they had believed to be indestructible, had shocked them so deeply, they just lost their head and apparated several at the time. Soon enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione stood alone in the silence of Malfoy Manor.


End file.
